To the person asking for more info on ECE:
 
There is an entire section on ECE on the Medical FAQ - instructions to get
it are at the top of the FML.
 
To the person asking for info on vaccinations:
 
There is vaccintion info in the Ferret FAQ as well, but just to summarize:
 
Ferrets are susceptible to canine distemper - it is 100% fatal if
contracted.  If the ferret has never been vaccinated before, or if vax
history is unknown, generally 2 (or 3 if it's a young kit) vaccines are
given 4 weeks apart and then 1 booster yearly after that.
 
The reason 2 vaccines are given 4 weeks apart is for full protection.  If
you don't have the 2nd vaccine, you are just really throwing your money away
on the first one, and your ferret has no immunity against distemper.
 
You can bring distemper into your house on your shoes, your clothes, etc, so
even if your ferrets don't go outside, they can still get it that way.
 
As for your kitty, cats are susceptible to feline distemper and feline
leukemia, and while it is thought that ferrets cannot contract either of
these 2 diseases, it is in the best interest of your cat to have it
vaccinated for both diseases (after a negative feline leukemia test).
Again, even if your cat doesn't go outside, you can carry both diseases
into the house on your clothes - if you have cats in the neighborhood,
than can even transmit these diseases to your cat through nose-to-nose
contact through screen doors, etc - if your cat goes outside the risk is
even greater.
 
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1508]